Fire vs Lightning
by Ayvee
Summary: (Takes place in War Storm) After Cal denies Montfort and the Scarlet Guard's terms, he finds Mare alone. They have an argument which turns into a physical fight, in which Mare gets carried away. Even in her darkest moments, Cal is there to remind her how he still feels about her.


"I don't want to see your face," I spit. Lightning trembles on my fingertips as I try to resist the urge to electrocute Cal.

He found me standing in an empty room, looking out at the sea through the big, open windows in Ocean Hill. After discussing execution would be best for Maven; Farley, Davidson, and I brought up our own terms to Cal. He denied them, cutting off the alliance with Montfort and the Scarlet Guard. Anabel and Volo had smirked in satisfaction but Farley, Davidson, and I took our leave. We are enemies now, working towards different goals.

Cal holds a sad look in his eyes, making it harder for me to want to be angry.

"We don't have to do this. Things don't have to be this way," he pleads.

I hate the weakness in his voice. I hate the fact that he told me he would never accept the throne again. I hate the fact that he lied.

"They do."

He simply shakes his head. I want him to act like the other Silvers and hurt me. Anything hateful from him will erase the heartache I feel right now.

I'm wearing the navy blue dress from this morning, the brand on my collarbone exposed for him to see what his brother did to me. The things I had to go through. Anger boils up inside of me.

Cal speaks, before I can say anything else. "Did our last night together mean something to you?"

I spin furiously toward him, lightning intertwining on my arms. "We agreed it wouldn't change anything."

"I thought you had dealt with the monsters inside of you," he responds coldly. His usually warm ember eyes harden with steel.

I clench my teeth. "I have, but I don't know about you. You act so noble and honorable but let's face it, Cal." I take brisk steps towards him until we're face to face, inches away. "You're just as bad as the rest of us."

We glare at each other, forgetting the acts of intimacy performed just last night. Our last night to let go of our feelings for one another. To let it all out as lovers just to become enemies the very next day.

The temperature in the room rises with his frustration and the lightning cackles along my arms now. Adrenaline rushes through me, and a small emotion of guilt? Regret? Fear? I wish I knew.

"You're a great liar," he says harshly. "Just like Maven."

Instinctively, I slap him. We're both stunned. His eyes widen, and I recoil from him. He grabs my wrist angrily and I cringe. The memory of the manacles triggers fear in me, and I shock him enough until he lets go. He pulls his hand back, betrayal flashing in his expression.

Just like in the sparring grounds at Piedmont, we circle around, keeping the other at a distance. Waiting for someone to act first. Fire burns on his fingertips like a wick, and I keep my lightning close so he can't use the sparks against me.

"How dare you compare me to your brother," I hiss.

"You understand him so well."

Fury coils up inside of me, begging to be let out. "You understand him too!"

Cal shakes his head, pity in his eyes. "Not like you. I'll never understand the emptiness."

With a growl, I leap for Cal's neck, but he dodges out of my way. Hastily, I throw my lightning towards him and it scatters along the ground in a web. Cal's quicker as he turns it into a wall of protective flame around him. I reach for the knife hidden under my skirt, and I throw it at the ceiling above him. It sticks.

I shoot a lightning bolt towards the knife at an angle so that it strikes down into his fire circle. Cal barely dodges that, the sleeves of his uniform singed. He runs toward me and we exchange physical blows. Punching and blocking each other, in a deadly dance. Each contact with him burns my skin but I can tell my punches aren't doing any less damage. His muscles twitch and spasm every now and then, in response to my hits. We're equals in battle.

Cal suddenly maneuvers himself behind me, throwing me off guard. I'm quick on my feet and shift, turning agilely to face him but there's a fireball heading my way and I duck. It hits the wall, leaving the wallpaper charred and black.

We're both panting and glaring at one another.

"Will this count as treason, my king?" I snap, sweat beading on my temple.

That makes Cal even more furious with me. "When will you stop?"

"When you change your mind."

"That'll never happen," he mutters.

I send lightning flying out of my body at him in rapid speed. He dodges each one, skillfully.

Fire flies from his hands like a flamethrower at my feet, forcing me to move further away from him. My legs have burn marks and I clench my teeth through the pain. The dress from my waist down is in tatters. Glancing at him, I can tell he really doesn't want to hurt me. Hesitation flashes in his eyes but he grabs a cover from one of the chairs in the room and tries to throw it over me. An odd strategy, as well as ineffective.

I put a hand up to catch the cover. "What-"

I feel his body tackle into mine, bringing me to the floor in a tangle of sheets. He's heavy, and taller than me. He sits on my stomach, holding my arms down at my side through the sheets. The cover provides some sort of protective shield between my electric and his skin.

"Stop, Mare," he says in a low tone. He avoids looking at me.

"No," I protest. "I won't stop until the unfair actions towards countless lives of Reds gets fixed. I won't stop until Shade's death accounts for something meaningful. I won't stop until this future can get better."

"You're so stubborn," he growls, finally meeting my determined gaze. I see nothing but anger in them. "You always have to make things difficult."

I narrow my eyes at him. "Lives of Reds have _been_ difficult, because of you."

Summoning all the lightning I can, I let it wrap around my body wildly. Too much electric to not feel through the sheets. Cal yelps and jumps back, and I slide my legs underneath him, tripping him. In a flash, I'm the one on top of him now. Cal tries to push me off, but I reach for his flamemaker bracelets. I detach them like I've seen him done countless times the nights we slept together at the Piedmont base. I move with urgency, knowing I have the advantage right now. I get them off and throw them far across the room, out of reach. Cal has nothing now. Powerless without his bracelets.

With one hand I hold him down by his neck, and with the other I raise it high above me wielding a lightning bolt shaped into a sharp dagger. I see Maven in Cal, and all I feel is murderous intent. Briefly, I wonder if Anabel will come after me with a vengeance and blow me apart.

Fury ripples throughout my body at the idea of another Calore King who won't do anything significant to change the fates of Reds. Cal's eyes are squeezed shut as he tries to pry my fingers off his throat, but it shocks him. My vision goes red and my mind goes blank. The power surging through my arm fuels my electric dagger, sharpening the ends like a lightning bolt. Killing him now would make things easier.

I swing my hand down with a vengeance, aiming for his heart. Cal's eyes open at the last second, ember eyes meeting my brown ones.

"Love," he sputters. His eyes are resolute. My aim lands at the side of his pale face. I'm cutting off his air supply. I pant heavily, the thought of killing someone taking a toll on me emotionally. All my senses rush back to me and I remember where I am now.

Why he would decide to utter that specific word at this moment, I don't know. But it makes me flinch. This isn't exactly the situation to be calling out the word love.

Without realizing, my hold on his throat loosens and he rips my hand away. He quickly sits up, almost toppling me over from my lack of balance. For a second, I'm afraid of what he might do and I try to call my lightning to my fingers quickly, if only to shock him.

He pulls me by the back of my neck roughly, crashing his lips to mine. I'm stunned as my lightning fades away and my eyes grow wide. He moves his lips against mine hastily, distracting me.

It makes me frustrated feeling my body's undeniable attraction to him and knowing the situation we're in. His kiss makes my anger recede and calms me down, unfortunately. I put my hands on his chest, no lightning, and try to push off from him. He's too strong. He pins me against him, holding me tightly in place. Our lips are still pressed against each other.

A moment later, he pulls away gasping. I breathe heavily too. We look at each other with exhausted expressions. He still has his arms wrapped around me.

"Do you _want_ to kill me?" Cal asks, incredulous.

I don't answer, gripping onto his shirt tightly.

Cal moves to kiss me aggressively again, his hands holding my bare thighs tightly.

"Why did you say that?" I ask against his lips, irritated.

He pulls away again. "To distract you."

We glare at one another but don't let go. His uniform has holes in it and his shirt is torn. His hair is disheveled. My own dress looks like rags, my hair knotted up from the fight. We're a mess. Fire and lightning. Destructive and wild.

"I almost killed you," I whisper. I got carried away, letting my emotions take over.

"I know," he says softly. "I needed to remind you."

"Remind me?"

"Even in your most horrendous moments, the love is still there."

Sadness washes over his expression. Even though I was about to kill him, love was on his mind. No matter how many horrible things a person has done, no matter how many wrongful actions, you can still love someone. That type of affection is hard to let go. That's why Elara couldn't remove it from her own son's mind. A certain type of love is hard to remove.

My eyes well up with tears. I shove him as hard as I can, angry and embarrassed. He grabs my forearms, careful to stay away from my wrists now. He looks at me directly. "I know you still love me, Mare. You don't have to say it."

"We're enemies."

"That doesn't change the way I feel about you."


End file.
